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Smiles has reached a cope with Maison Publique proprietor Derek Dammann to take over the placement after Dammann closed the critically-acclaimed restaurant.
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Nicely-known Montreal chef Danny Smiles got here to Hudson for somewhat nation residing, however he clearly nonetheless yearns for the excitement and pleasure of operating a restaurant within the coronary heart of the large metropolis.
For years, he was the chef at Le Bremner, celeb chef and TV star Chuck Hughes’s well-known restaurant within the Outdated Port that closed throughout the pandemic, and Hughes and Smiles additionally labored collectively cooking up high-end grub for the artists performing on the Osheaga competition.
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Smiles was named govt chef and basic supervisor of the historic Willow Inn on the banks of Lake of Two Mountains in Hudson within the spring of 2021 and some months later he moved out to the quiet city. Smiles — winner of Iron Chef Canada — liked being on the market along with his spouse and two younger boys, River, 2, and Lennon, 4.
However in a dialog this week on the Willow Inn, the place he was welcoming a gaggle of highschool children from Gatineau, Smiles stated he’s going to be spending much more time within the metropolis within the coming months. Quickly after it was introduced in August acclaimed Plateau eater Maison Publique was closing its doorways, Smiles reached a cope with Maison Publique proprietor Derek Dammann to take over the placement.
Smiles will likely be opening a brand new restaurant on the identical premises on Marquette St. within the coronary heart of the Plateau in February. That’s along with one other newish Plateau enterprise for Smiles — Double’s, a designer dive/hamburger joint that he opened in April on Parc Ave. It’s already a well-liked spot each with locals and visiting celebs, most notably Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, who swung by there after the band’s live performance on the Verdun Auditorium in July.
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“There’s one thing as a chef, I imply I adore it out right here, however I had an incredible alternative to take one thing over within the metropolis, so typically you simply want to return and do it yet one more time,” Smiles stated. “I like beginning new tasks. Taking (the Willow Inn) on was wonderful and to observe it develop, that was one thing actually particular. And opening up a bar in April (Double’s), that’s actually completely different. That’s centered simply on being collectively. It’s like Cheers. It’s simply bar meals and having enjoyable. It’s been an actual success. It’s been good. The idea is dive bar, sports activities bar, everyone seems to be welcome. It’s very accessible. Attempt to preserve the prices low for folks to have a great time.”
He was pretty tight-lipped about precisely what he has up his sleeve for the Maison Publique area, however he did reveal just a few particulars.
“All I can say is I’m actually excited and I’m making an attempt to not expose an excessive amount of info. We’re taking a look at a February opening if every little thing goes nicely. I’m partnered up with three of my closest associates. We’re extraordinarily obsessed with meals and eating places and we’re going to do it our manner.”
He’s nicely conscious he has some massive sneakers — or is it frying pans? — to fill following within the footsteps of Dammann’s Maison Publique, one of many nation’s most praised eating places.
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“He’s positively one in every of my favorite cooks within the metropolis,” Smiles stated. “It’s very robust to suppose you’re taking up an area that individuals liked proper throughout the nation. Individuals would journey from everywhere in the world to eat there. It was a really particular place and I feel he was prepared to shut the chapter and he was comfortable to cross it alongside. That’s my obligation. To maintain it alive and preserve his ideology of meals. Now we have the identical concepts about high quality and native (merchandise).”
The scholars on the Willow Inn on Thursday had been from Philemon Wright Excessive College in Gatineau, introduced there as a part of Cheese4Change, a youth program created by Tre Stelle Cheese to boost consciousness about sustainable meals. Smiles gave the youngsters a tour of the inn’s gardens, confirmed them how they labored within the kitchen after which served them a lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches, salad and tiramisu.
Smiles could find yourself spending extra time in central Montreal within the coming months, however he doesn’t remorse for one second shifting his house and work out to Hudson.
“I’ve been a metropolis chef my entire life, I at all times labored within the metropolis,” Smiles stated. “It was a pleasant problem to take (over) the Willow Inn that’s been right here 200 years and there’s numerous historical past. … It was a time, within the pandemic, that I form of wanted a breath of recent air, one thing completely different. It’s been wonderful. The standard of life, the neighborhood, the neighbourhood. There’s a very robust neighborhood in Hudson. There’s numerous nice companies and other people that just do phenomenal stuff.”
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